Yazoo City Native A Step Closer to Making History

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Debra Brown has been given the Okay by the Senate Judiciary Committee to serve as a federal district judge in Greenville. She was nominated by the President to replace Judge W. Allen Pepper Jr. who died last year.

Brown now needs the approval of the full U.S. Senate. If she gets that, she will become the first black female in Mississippi to hold the lifetime post. Mississippi’s two U.S. Senators issued statements of support for Brown.

“I appreciate the Judiciary Committee’s work on her nomination, and will urge my colleagues in the Senate to confirm Debra Brown as a member of the United States federal judiciary,” said Senator Thad Cochran. “Debra Brown is well-qualified to serve Mississippi and the nation in this position on the federal bench.”

“The Judiciary Committee’s swift approval of Judge Brown is a testament to her character and high qualifications as a jurist,” added Senator. “Her appointment to the federal bench is a historic moment, and I consider it a personal and high honor to assist in her confirmation.”